Piper PA-32R-300 N7133C

Summary

On 26 August 1996 at about 15:32 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N7133C was involved in an accident near Medford, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 August 1996 at 15:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Medford, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

44.1707, -93.2393

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N7133C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eden Prairie → Davenport

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96FA314

1 person died.

failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, due to spatial disorientation. Factors relating to the accident were: failure of the (primary) vacuum system and a restriction in the (standby) vacuum system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the pilot reported to approach control that the airplane had suffered a loss of its vacuum system. He requested a lower altitude in an attempt to descend into visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The pilot reported being unable to locate visual conditions. The airplane departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain. The primary vacuum pump was found inoperative with fractures of the rotor and vanes. The standby system was found not capable of operation due to a restriction in the system from the migration of sealing material or a gasket, blocking a hole drilled for the installation and operation of the standby system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.